Of Reindeer And Dinosaurs
by Marymel
Summary: Jackson and Hodges chat after the events in "The Last Reindeer." Mild spoilers.


**Jackson is my original character, but I don't own CSI.**

**Some spoilers for "The Lost Reindeer!"**

**I also loved Hodges in the season 11 episode "Cold Blooded," so I thought I'd reference that here. Also, if you haven't read my story, "The Found Reindeer," I reference that as well.**

**I loved the Christmas episode, "The Lost Reindeer," especially Hodges' interaction with Blake, the little boy. So I got to thinking how Jackson might comfort his Uncle Hodges after he talked to Blake. So here's the story I came up with. Hope you all enjoy...and pretty please review!**

David Hodges smiled as he headed back to his lab after chatting with Blake Bonham. Even though the little boy had lost so much - his mother being murdered, his father killing the wrong man and then being abducted by the people responsible - Blake found some happiness in Christmas. When they read "The Lost Reindeer", Hodges couldn't help but smile at the resilient young boy as they waited for social services to take him to his grandparents.

As he came in the door, he stopped when he saw a small package on the table. He opened it and smiled when he saw the beautiful snow globe. Looking at the Las Vegas souvenir, he smiled as he thought of the little boy he'd just met. His smile grew when he looked at the handwritten card. _David, you are my hero! Your secret Santa, Morgan._

Hodges sighed softly and smiled. Setting the card on the table, he smiled when he saw Morgan's adopted son Jackson approach the lab.

Jackson smiled when he stood in the doorway. "Dere you are, Uncle Hodges! Don't you know dere's a party?"

"I did," Hodges said with a soft laugh. Even though he once said he had an aversion to children, Hodges did love Jackson. He knew his friend's son looked forward to Christmas and being with his family and friends.

Jackson smiled up at his Uncle Hodges. "Don't you want to come to da party?"

Hodges smiled softly, thinking of Jackson and Blake and how they looked forward to Christmas. "In a minute. Hey...come here. Look at this." He showed Jackson the snow globe.

"Ooh," Jackson said softly. "Cool. Dat's de bright light sign!"

"Yeah," Hodges said with a soft laugh. "You know, your mama gave that to me?"

"She did? Dat's cool! Oh, I got dis for you!" Jackson handed Hodges the piece of paper he was holding. "I drew dis for you!"

Hodges smiled as he looked at the drawing. "This is very good. Thank you."

"You welcome! Here, lookit," Jackson said as Hodges bent down slightly. Pointing to the animals he drew, Jackson said, "Dese are dinosaurs. Dis one's a T-Rex. Mama told me da real name, but it too long."

"Mm-hmm, and those were the big dinosaurs," Hodges said with a soft smile.

Jackson smiled. "Mama say you liked dat show wif da dinosaurs.

Hodges smiled when he thought of helping his former colleague Ray Langston solve a crime at the Walking With Dinosaurs show. "I do. Maybe one of these days, you and I can go see the show. Think you might like that?"

"Yeah! I glad you like my drawing, Uncle Hodges."

"I do." Hodges smiled at the innocent boy. "You know what? I met a little boy, not much bigger than you. And he told me a story about a lost reindeer."

"Like da one dat helped you an' daddy an' mama wif your case?"

Hodges smiled softly. "Yeah. Did you like meeting the reindeer?"

Jackson smiled widely. "Yeah! We met Dasher, an' he very nice! He gunna go back to da North Pole, an' I told him we'd leave him some carrots on Christmas Eve!"

"You did?" Hodges smiled as Jackson smiled and nodded.

Morgan smiled when she rounded the corner and saw Hodges and Jackson happily chatting. After the case they'd closed, seeing Jackson so happy and looking forward to Christmas gave her true joy. "There you are, sweet pea."

Jackson and Hodges smiled. "Hey," Hodges said. "Thank you, by the way."

Morgan was about to thank him when Jackson piped up. "Mama, he gunna take me to see da dinosaurs like da ones in my drawing!"

"He is?" Morgan smiled.

"Yeah! An' he knows all about da dinosaurs!"

Hodges smiled and slightly blushed as Morgan smiled. "I told him I'd take him to see the show, if it's okay with you and Greg."

Morgan nodded. "It's okay."

"Mama, Uncle Hodges say you gave him da snowy globe!" Jackson said, pointing to the snow globe.

"I did," Morgan said with a smile. "And guess what? Your daddy was my secret Santa."

"He was? Cool!"

"Yeah, he gave me a cute bottle of nail polish. How bout that?"

"Dat's cool! Is daddy still at da party?"

"Mm-hmm. And he and everyone wonder where you and Uncle Hodges are."

Jackson smiled and grabbed Hodges' hand. "Come on! We gunna go to da party an' have some cookies!"

Hodges couldn't help but smile as Jackson pulled him to the door. "Do they have chocolate chip cookies?"

"Yeah!" Jackson said with a wide smile. "Mrs. Judy made dem! Come on!"

"Wait a minute," Morgan said as she took off her Santa hat. Putting it on Jackson, she said, "Here you go."

"Cool!" Jackson said. "Thank you, mama! Do I look handsome?"

Morgan and Hodges laughed softly. "You look almost as handsome as me," Hodges said. Morgan shot him a glare. Jackson just giggled.

"Come on, Uncle Hodges!" Jackson said as he headed out the door. "Dey got cookies an' cake!"

"Wait for me, sweetie!" Morgan said as Jackson impatiently waited. She smiled at her good friend. "You okay?"

Thinking of how Blake just wanted to enjoy Christmas and looked for something good in tragedy, Hodges nodded. "I think Blake's going to be okay."

"Who?" Jackson innocently asked.

"Oh, the little boy who told me the reindeer story. He said I was a 'funny science man'."

Jackson smiled and softly giggled. "I fink you a very nice science man, Uncle Hodges."

"Thank you, Jackson." Smiling at the sweet little boy and his good friend, he said, "Ready for the party?"

Jackson smiled and grabbed Hodges' hand. "Yeah! You need an extra piece of cake wif me!"

Morgan laughed as Jackson pulled Hodges down the hall. The two chatted about Christmas as they made their way to the break room.

Jackson, Hodges and Morgan arrived at the break room and Jackson smiled widely when he saw Greg. "Hi, daddy!"

"Hey, Jacks!" Greg lifted his happy son in his arms. "You want some cake?"

"Yeah! An' I fink Uncle Hodges needs an extra piece!"

Seeing Jackson and Greg happily chat, Hodges smiled. He knew deep down Blake would be okay, and seeing Jackson happily unaware of the case the team just closed gave him a sense of peace.

Morgan handed Hodges a cup of egg nog. "Someday he'll grow up, and think about meeting a real reindeer...and his cool uncle. And he'll remember that with love."

Hodges smiled, knowing Jackson loved him and all his CSI family. "And he'll be just fine."

**The End.**


End file.
